By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of
Perry Township Schools

Perry Township is a unique community that is filled with history and residents who have deep roots on the Southside. Over the past seven years I have had an opportunity to attend many events that are steeped in tradition. On Friday evening there was a moving and exciting program held at the Southport High School basketball game.  

Southport’s Alumni Association, under the leadership of Jay Danner, hosted a celebration to honor the 35th anniversary of the 1990 boys basketball final four team coached by Hall of Famer Bill Springer.  

The evening in historic Southport Fieldhouse got off to a rousing start in the Cardinals Nest with a reception, appetizers, an informal dinner and cake, of course. Former players and their families were welcomed by alumni members, and the reminiscing flowed! The players were huddled around a television watching a tape of that famous night. Cheers and applause were heard coming from that side of the room.  

Prior to the junior varsity basketball game, Springer, assistant coach Kalb and several of the 1990 players addressed the current team with encouraging and inspiring words. You could see the admiration and respect that was extended to the former players.  

The recognition ceremony was conducted between the junior varsity and varsity games. Special guests included former Principal Lloyd Bodie and former athletic directors Jean McArdle and Chuck Robbins, who also coached football. As I talked with these individuals, their eyes revealed the pride and joy that they had experienced with Southport. These people are Cardinals for life.  

Next, coach Springer and 10 of the players from the team were introduced. The crowd watched highlights from the final four game. Then the team’s managers, trainers and other coaches joined the team on the floor and were greeted with a huge applause.   

It was an honor to read an official proclamation to the crowd, and coach Springer shared his thoughts. Afterward, long-standing alumni member Steve Harnedy presented each team member with a scrolled copy of the proclamation. A banner to honor to team was dedicated and is now displayed at the fieldhouse.

To top off the excitement, the junior varsity and varsity teams won their games against Terre Haute South.
This event is just one example of the pride that exists in Perry Township Schools. We are a community with a rich heritage. The strong legacy within our district exemplifies our strong family ties. Honoring our alumni is one of the many attributes that makes the township a close-knit community.  

I would like to thank Southport’s alumni and athletic department for their work in organizing the reception and ceremony. Programs such as this reinforce our core values and truly make it an honor and a privilege to serve as your superintendent.  

By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of
Perry Township Schools

The phrase 24/7 is commonplace in today’s world and is nearly a way to describe activities within Perry Township Schools. We serve in the role as caretakers of school facilities, and we take that role seriously. It is difficult to imagine what goes on beyond the classroom doors and the school day.  

The workday in the transportation department begins at 5 p.m. and often extends into the night, ending as late as midnight for away sporting events.
If weather is an issue, the day for our facility/grounds crew members may start as early as 2 a.m. if they are plowing parking lots and dropping salt.  

The food service personnel begin arriving at 5:30 a.m. to ensure breakfast will be ready for the children in all of our schools. If there is an evening event, the staff will work late.
Our custodians begin their day as early as 6 a.m. to ensure a safe, clean learning environment inside and outside the schools. After dismissal, the evening shift works until 11 p.m. or even later if there is a late event.    
The Early Childhood Academy offers a before-school program that begins at 6:30 a.m. There is also child care from 4-5 p.m. 

Activities abound in the evenings and on the weekends. I recently had the good fortune of speaking at a college event at Perry Meridian Middle School, where more than 600 people were in attendance; many of them expressed positive comments about the school year. Most activities are family-focused and provide opportunities for parents to spend time with their children. Our parents are engaged in their children’s education. Dads Clubs and band boosters are just two fine examples.  
The following is a small sample of current activities at our schools:

• Lincoln Elementary: talent show.
• Clinton Young Elementary: family night in partnership with University of Indianapolis students.
• MacArthur Elementary: dance-a-thon.
• Glenns Valley Elementary: open house.
• Burkhart Elementary: PTA dads night.
• Homecroft: Invention Convention/Science Fair.
• Jeremiah Gray: American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart.
• Mary Bryan Elementary: curriculum night.
• Rosa Parks-Edison Elementary: pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.
• Southport Elementary and Southport 6th Grade Academy: Pennies for Patients.
• Winchester Village Elementary: Hearts for Riley PTA/Title 1 family night.
• Perry Meridian 6th Grade Academy: coffee talk with the counselor.
• Perry Meridian Middle: college night.
• Southport Middle: eighth-graders meet with counselors to create their high school schedules.
• Perry Meridian High: “penny wars” for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 
• Southport High: professional help is available for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. 


We are already looking forward to the next school year. Classes are being scheduled; high-ability screening is being conducted for fifth-graders students; registration for kindergarten is open; and planning for expanded curricular offerings is underway.  

Thank you to our students, parents, community members and staff for all you do around the clock to support Perry Township Schools. Your combined effort is powerful and is reflected by the district’s letter grade A rating.

By Dr. Thomas Little
Superintendent of
Perry Township Schools

Students who attend Perry Township Schools are extended the opportunity to participate in classes and after-school activities that reflect a wide range of interests.
The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics programs is one of those programs, and it has a storied history as Southport  and Perry Meridian high schools host competitive teams.
Southport’s team is known as CyberCards; Perry’s is Cyber Blue 234.  

The teams spend a great deal of time in the design and building of competitive robots in a strict six-week time frame. Meetings began in January, and students can spend more than 20 hours per week in the lab.  
The squads are composed of 25 to 30 students who have a strong interest in science, math, engineering and technology. Each team has a teacher sponsor: Andy Nuetzel, Perry, and Mike Taylor, Southport. In addition, there are 12 mentors for each team who volunteer to provide technical assistance. The mentors are as committed to the program as the students.  

Each year there is a theme – it’s recycling this time – established with specific tasks that each robot must accomplish within a specific area and time limitations. Points are earned by completing specific tasks.
Robots from three schools work together as a team and compete against another alliance of three robots. Robots score points by stacking plastic containers and trash cans. In addition, robots are challenged to place “trash” (pool noodles) in the cans. 

Supportive parents provide a weekly meal for their respective “robotics family.” Because the build season can be stressful, breaking bread with one another helps to place those challenges in perspective while strengthening friendships. Both teams agree that they consume a lot of pizza during January and February. 
Both squads will compete Feb. 28 and March 1 at Lawrence North, March 13 and 14 at Kokomo and March 20 and 21 at Purdue. Theirs goals are to qualify for the Indiana and FIRST world championships.   

As part of their community outreach activities, the teams hold demonstrations, lead specialized learning experiences for younger students and host informational tables at public events like Coach Hathaway’s Running South.  
Participants are serious about their academic courses. The robotics program boasts a 100 percent graduation rate for team members. These students go on to pursue their career dreams either in college, vocational schools or by serving in the military. 

I would like to thank the mentors who volunteer countless hours to this valuable program. I would also like to thank the parents of the students on the teams for their rock solid support.  
This program and others influence student career choices, build confidence, elevate self-esteem and set the stage for lifelong relationships. These programs enrich and enhance our academic environment to help make Perry Township the grade A school district of choice.   

You may follow the CyberCards on their blog at frc1529.wordpress.com. and Cyber Blue at www.cyberblue234.com.

“What will I be when I grow up?” 
This question is on the minds of most older students. The average high school graduate will change careers seven times in his/her lifetime.   

Exploring career options begins at an early age for students attending Perry Township Schools. In elementary and middle school, students participate in CollegeGo! Week and experience field trips to universities and career centers. Students also participate in interest surveys to begin to understand all of the career paths that exist. Their options are beyond belief. The world literally is at their feet. 

Scheduling classes for more than 4,000 students at Perry Meridian and Southport high schools is an interesting and nonending challenge that’s met by our guidance counselors. Courses are constantly being reviewed for their selection and relevance, and new offerings are developed, proposed and approved by the school board. Five new courses will be offered next year, including one on statistics for the modern-day researcher and another on critical thinking/augmentation, which will cover problem-solving methods.  
 
Did you know that a student can elect to take courses at both high school campuses? Virtually every interest level can be met through this program offering.  
Everything a parent or student would like to know about courses can be found on the schools’ online course catalogs. There is important terminology used in the schedule planning:  

• One credit is awarded for each class passed.
• Required classes that must be passed to graduate include English, math, science, social studies, health, and physical education. 
• Elective classes such as art, business, math, music, consumer science and others may be chosen to help fulfill credit requirements. 
• A prerequisite course must be passed before taking another course in the same subject. 
• Grade point average is the number representing a student’s average letter grades. The grade of a B equals 3 points. An A in a regular class counts 4 points, and an A in an honors or honors/GT class counts 5 points toward the GPA. 
• College prep classes are for students planning to attend a four-year university. 

For incoming freshman, teacher recommendations in the areas of language arts, math, science, foreign language and music are strongly considered. This ensures that the student will be placed in the most appropriate class. High school counselors visit the middle schools to present information about scheduling as students begin building a plan for their high school career. 

There are also informational meetings for parents with counselors who are available for questions.   
It is important to note that students are able to graduate with an honors diploma and participate in electives such as fine arts and classes at Central 9 Career Center. 

If you would like more information about planning your child’s future, you are invited to a college night at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Perry Meridian Middle School, 202 W. Meridian School Road, where pizza and drinks will be served at 5:30 p.m. Representatives from various institutions of higher education and the Army will field questions. Call 789-4163 or email aengelhardt@perryschools.org for reservations.

Your guidance counselors are ready to assist as needed. Please do not hesitate to make contact with these helpful individuals.